Miner s combination-box



(No Model.)

J. H. KIRBY & G. FRASER.

MINERS COMBINATION BOX.

No. 371,592. Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

Witmwey UNITED STATES PATENT GEETcE.

JAMES HENRY KIRBY AND GEORGE FRASER, OF COAL VALLEY, VEST VIRGINIA.

lViiNERS COMBINATION-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,592, dated October 18, 1887.

Application filed March 25, 1887. Serial No. 232,411. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES HENRY KIRBY and GEORGE FRASER, citizens of the United States, residing at Coal Valley. in the county of Fayette and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Miners Combination-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention, which is an improvement on a patent granted to James H. Kirby on the th day of May, 1886, and numbered 342,365, relates to combination-boxes used by miners and adapted to carry powder, oil, cotton, paper, squibs, glyeerine, matches, tickets, and any or all other material used by miners or any underground excavators or laborers; and it consists in a construction and novel arrangement of parts,hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, .and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying d rawings,Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the oil can. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box having compartments for paper, cotton, squibs, matches, and tickets, &c. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the powder-flask. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the receptacle in which the oilcan, box, and powder-flask are placed for carriage. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the said receptacle with the can, box, and flask in place. Fig. 6 is a modification in which the box is secured permanently in place in the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures, Adesignates a rectangular receptacle, of suitable dimensions, having the ears a 0n the edges of the opposite sides, to which are secured the straps a a, intended to buckle together over the opposite shoulder of the miner for carriage, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

B is a rectangular box having the hinged lid b, which is fastened by a catch on the outer edge of the lid engaging with a staple on the side of the box, directly under said catch.

1) is a match-compartment formed in the box B adjacent to the hinge of the lid, and b 11 are respectively squib and ticket compartments at the opposite end of the box, one being situated over the other, and the space I) between the mateh-compartmentand the ticket and squib compartments, and including the bility of chance ignition or explosion.

entire lower part ofthe box, forms a compartment to contain paper, cotton, and similar safely-handled articles. It is evident that the said box B may be still further divided, to accommodate a large number of different articles, and the disposition of the compartments may be altered to suit the exigencies of the case, so as to bring those articles which are most needed into positions most easily reached, the said requirements being changed by the particular mine in which the device is used. The lid 12, when closed, forms a cover for the said compartments, and is provided on the upper side with a small bail, 0 attached to suitable ears on the said cover, for the purpose of lifting the box.

Cis the oil-can, of rectangular shape, provided on its top with the spout c, to serve as ameans to readily pour the liquid out, the screw-plug c, to enable the can to be filled, and a small bail, c", to enable the can to be lifted.

D is the powder-flask, provided on its top with the bail (Z and a screw-plug, d, engaging the opening through which the flask is filled with blasting-powder, the said opening also serving as a means to pour the powder out.

The oil-can, box B, and powder-flask have the same length and height, and when inserted in the receptacle A fit snugly therein, side by side, the box B being between the can 0 and flask D, the latter of which is on the side adjacent to the miner when the receptacle is hung on his shoulder. The can, flask, or box can easily be lifted from the receptacle by its bail when necessary.

Fig. 6 shows a modification in which the box B is permanently secured by solder or otherwise within the receptacle, so that when its lid is secured the receptacle and contents can be carried about by hand by means of the bail on said box. In this combination-box the oil, squibs, and powder are each in separate receptacles or holders, and when it is necessary to use one of the said articles the other two will be left in the receptacle. In other words, no

two of the three explosive articles can be handled at the same time, thus lessening the lia- The Inatch-compartment and the squib-compartment are also on opposite sides of the box B,

. underground excavators, or those needing com- The box will be useful to miners, as the storpartments containing combustibles may or and when the oil-can or powder-flask is being used the said compartments are closed by the lid, as described.

age of the articles with ordinary care is per-- fectly safe, and by means of the strap the receptacle can be suspended from the shoulder, leaving both hands free. The modification shown in Fig. 6 is especially convenient, as the miner can carry the whole receptacle and contents in one hand in places where it might be inconvenient or impossible to hang it from his shoulder. The receptacle and parts therein are preferably made of sheet metal, and the dimensions may vary within considerablelimits, so that the parts are always properly proportioned to each other.

It will be understood that we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise construction of the box as herein described, as we desire to vary the number and disposition of the compartments to suit the requirements of miners working in different mines where different articles are needed. Further, we do not wish to limit the adaptation of the receptacle to the use of miners particularly, but wish to provide a carrying receptacle suited to the wants of all bustible, explosive, or other articles to properlycarry on their work. Further, we wish to construct the receptacle of any material whatever, such as tin, sheet metal, iron, glass, wood, leather, oaany material or combinationthereof which will suit the purpose for which the receptacle is designed.

It is evident with regard to the number and disposition of the compartments in the receptacle that they may be varied to an unlimited extent, as in some mines or works a certain line of articles are used to the exclusion of the very articles which aremost important in another mine, and some articles are used in one mine very often, while in another they are used very seldom. Therefore the size and situation in the receptacle of the compartment for a cer-' tain article is varied according to the frequency of the demand for said article, the one unchangeable rule which is followed in the disposition of the compartments being to place the compartments containing combustibles' and explosives as far apart as possible, and to arrange them so that only one of said comneed be opened at one time.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is-- 1. The herein'described miners combination-box, consisting of the rectangular receptacle, the interior box having a compartment at one end for the reception of matches, compartments at the other end for squibs and tickets, respectively, and between the same a space or compartment to hold paper, cotton, and such articles as may be safely handled, said box having a lid to close all said compartments, the oil-can, and powder-flask, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-describedminers combination-box, composed of the rectangular receptacle, the box containing compartments for matches, cotton, paper, squibs, and tickets, &c., provided with a hinged lid and secured centrally across the interior of the receptacle,

the oil-can, substantially as described, situated within the receptacle on one side of said box, and the powder flask, substantially as described, situated within the receptacle on the other side of the box, all as hereinbefore specified. r

3. The herein-described min'rs combination-box, composed of the receptacle A, the straps aa, secured to the cars a a, by means of which straps the receptacle is suspended from the shoulder, the box B, provided with the lid b, closing with a spring-catch, and the bail b on said lid, said box having the compartments b b b b within it, the oil-can 0, provided with a spout, a, bail c, and the screwplug 0, and the powder-flask D, provided with the bail d and screw-plug d, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore specified.

4. In a miners box, the .combination of the rectangular vessel A, the box B, secured cen-- trally therein and having the lid provided with the bail b the oil-can O, fitted in the vessel A on one side of box B, and the pewder-flask D, fitted in the vessel A on the opposite side of the .box B, all combined and arranged substantially as described.

5. In a miners box, the combination of the rectangular vessel A, the box B, secured centrally therein, the oil-can G, fitted in the vessel A on one side of box B, and the powder flask D, fitted in the vessel A on the opposite Side of box B, all combined and arranged sub- 

